Coyotes Keith Yandle (L) celebrates his first period goal with teammate Connor Murphy during NHL hockey action between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alta. on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Coyotes Tim Kennedy reacts to a hit and a flylng puck along the boards during NHL hockey action between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alta. on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

***CORRECTION****Coyotes goalie Thomas Greiss is crashed on by a Flames player during NHL hockey action between the Calgary Flames and the Phoenix Coyotes in Calgary, Alta. at the Saddledome on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Calgary Flames Mark Giordano (5) gets hi fives from teammates after his second period goal during NHL hockey action between the Calgary Flames and the Phoenix Coyotes in Calgary, Alta. at the Saddledome on Wednesday December 4, 2013.
It is Giordano's first goal in his return game after a ankle injury. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Calgary Flames Matt Stajan (L) and Lee Stepniak celebrate Stepniak's third period goal during NHL hockey action between the Flames and the Phoenix Coyotes in Calgary, Alta. at the Saddledome on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Calgary Flames goalie Reto Berra has some company in front of the net from a Phoenix Coyotes player during NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alta. at the Saddledome on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Calgary Flames team members pose with members of the Canadian Armed Forces during appreciation night following NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alta. at the Saddledome on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano poses with members of the military during Armed Forces appreciation night after during NHL hockey action between the Flames and the Phoenix Coyotes in Calgary, Alta. at the Saddledome on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Calgary Flames Mike Cammalleri (L) poses with poses with members of the military during Armed Forces appreciation night after during NHL hockey action between the Flames and the Phoenix Coyotes in Calgary, Alta. at the Saddledome on Wednesday December 4, 2013. Jim Wells/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency.

Related attachment(s)

Links

Mikael Backlund’s reaction, a look of surprise, had nothing to do with the fact he snapped a lengthy scoring drought.

Although you could be excused for thinking the Calgary Flames centre had to remind himself how to celebrate.

No, it had to do with the fact he was in disbelief his fluttering one-timer somehow lit the lamp.

A Bobby Hull howitzer it wasn’t, but Backlund’s second-period tally broke open the tie and proved to be the game winning tally in his club’s 4-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes Wednesday night at the Saddledome.

“I didn’t get too much on the puck, so I didn’t think it would go in,” Backlund said while a teammate in the dressing room referred to his shot as a “muffin”.

“When the fans reacted, that’s when I reacted.”

Amidst his 18-game goal-scoring slump, Backlund’s offensive struggles came with a healthy scratching, a stock market-calibre ride up and down the four forward lines and trip into the league’s rumour mill as trade bait.

Who knows what the future holds, but at least that goal — Backlund dropped to one knee as he swung for the one-timer, but only got enough of the puck to have it float up and over the shoulder of Coyotes goalie Thomas Greiss — can put one aspect in the rearview mirror.

“I haven’t really thought much about my goals. I usually do get a little frustrated when I don’t score, but through this time I haven’t focused on it too much,” he said. “I’m happy, but it hasn’t been my biggest thought. I didn’t even know it was 18 games.”

With the win, the Flames (10-13-4) won consecutive games for the first time since clashes on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11.

The victory was definitely not a Picasso, but the Flames can take solace for the way they regrouped from a sluggish start and early deficit when Phoenix blueliner Keith Yandle opened the scoring before the five-minute mark.

However, Calgary blueliner TJ Brodie evened the count with 7.6 seconds remaining in the opening frame and with that momentum in hand, the Flames were off and running.

Captain Mark Giordano, who returned after missing 18 games due to a broken ankle, scored to cap a two-point night. Winger Lee Stempniak snapped a nine-game scoring drought, all since he returned from a broken bone in his foot, the team’s league-best sixth of the season.

“They got us on the first goal but then I felt we were much better, we prevented the D-man from joining the rush so we didn’t see anymore 4-on-3’s,” head coach Bob Hartley said. “You get a goal on the powerplay and you get a solid goaltending performance from Karri Ramo and it sums up a good win.”

Ramo made consecutive starts for the first time in more than a month, having been relegated to backup behind Reto Berra, and rewarded the team with 29 saves to rack up a second straight win, his first at the Saddledome.

He not only held the fort to keep the visitors from running away while the Flames found their legs, but provided a handful of big stops in the middle frame, notably on Rob Klinkhammer, Antoine Vermette and Mikkel Boedker.

He also channelled his inner Ron Hextall with a couple of third-period penalties.

“Obviously when you win you feel good,” Ramo said. “It was a while I didn’t see a game, but I have to play it game by game, not think about the situation. Just play the game and enjoy it.”

He was somewhat sheepish about the penalties, although he didn’t agree with his second, an interference call.

“I don’t know about those,” Ramo said. “Good thing that they didn’t hurt us, but I don’t know what I can do differently there.”

Jiri Hudler and Matt Stajan both had a pair of assists, while Brodie also had a two-point night.

Greiss stopped 14 shots for the Coyotes (16-7-4), who have just two wins in their last seven outings.